Abstract: VIVA, Lesbian and Gay Latino Artists, was a non-profit arts agency founded in 1987 for the purpose of promoting the creative
and artistic talent of Lesbians, Gays, Latina and Latino artists and their culture. Based in Los Angeles, VIVA was formally
designed to create a coalition who would advocate against the lack of representation in Los Angeles of artists from these
communities. This collection primarily consists of papers related to the administration, events, exhibitions, performances,
projects, outreach, art and publications of VIVA. The collection includes photographs, negatives, transparencies, artwork,
papers, t-shirts, catalogs and printed materials.

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www.chicano.ucla.edu http://www.oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/kt796nd4d9/

Copyright has not been assigned to the UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center. All requests for permission to publish must be
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This collection was processed by Robb Hernandez between 2007-2009. Additions 2015.

Biography

VIVA was a non-profit arts agency founded in 1987 for the purpose of promoting the creative and artistic talent of lesbians,
gays, Latina and Latino artists and their culture. VIVA was formally designed to create a coalition who would advocate against
the lack of representation in Los Angeles of artists from these communities. Based in Los Angeles, the organization was formed
by a group of lesbian Latinas and gay Latino artists in the Silver Lake community of Los Angeles including Roland Palencia,
Mike Moreno, Luis Alfaro, Marcus Kuiland-Nazario and Aleida Rodriguez. The organization also worked with other organizations
and presses such as the Gay and Lesbian Services Center, La Opinion, Gay and Lesbian Latinos Unidos (GLLU), Lesbianas Unidas,
Bienestar, and Tongues to help bring visibility to VIVA. It in turn provided visibility to artists through discussions, production
and presentation of art, and the development of artists through educational, scholarship and presentational opportunities.
VIVA also used art to address issues of cultural and sociopolitical concern through exhibitions, performances and collaborative
projects with programs such as the Minority AIDS Project. Created in 1992, Chicks and Salsa became the organization's most
successful annual event. This multi-media performance promoted Latina Lesbian artists and was developed in collaboration with
the organization ASTRAEA, National Lesbian Action. In 1993, VIVA was the winner of the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation's
GLAAD/LA Outstanding Community Service Award. Tongues took over VIVA in 2000; although Tongues used VIVA's 501(c)3 and identified
itself as a VIVA project, VIVA had essentially ended.